Faucet-operating device.



P. A. & W. F. BRIGHT. FAUOET OPERATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31,1910.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

FRED A. BRIGHT AND WILLIAM F. BRIGHT, OF SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA.

FAUCET-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application filed May 31, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRED A. BRIGHT and VILLIAM F. BRIGHT, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Santa Cruz, in the county of Santa Cruzand State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements inFaucet-Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a faucet controlling mechanism.

It consists in the combination of parts and in details of constructionwhich will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a view atright angles with Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a double washstand with supplypipes and pedals.

In places where public faucets are used, and more particularly inschools, they are of such character that they may remain open and areoften left in that condition, and the water is wasted. To overcome thisobjection a class of faucets is employed in which the faucet must beheld open while the water is running and will close instantly on therelease of the faucet control. WVhile such faucets insure a saving ofwater, they are not convenient, because in public schools it isparticularly desirable that children may obtain drinking water withoutthe use of a cup which is common to a great many persons and liable tocarry diseases, and also that they may wash their hands with runningwater. It is manifest that with the automatically closing faucet it isnot possible to wash the hands and at the same time hold the faucetopen.

It is the object of our invention to provide a means by which the faucetmay be held open while the water is being used, and will automaticallyclose as soon as the user leaves. For this purpose, we have shown theconducting supply pipe A provided with a faucet or valve inclosed, as at2, and this valve is operated by means of compression arms or levers 3,which are normally separated by a spring or equivalent means so that thevalve will remain closed.

In our invention we have shown a ring 4: fixed to the upper end of astem or rod 5, this ring inclosing the convexly curved valve controllingarms 3 and having an interior diameter such that when the ring is pushedupwardly it will compress these arms and thus open the valve. Whenreleased, it will Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 564,035.

drop to a point where the valve will be allowed to close automatically.In order to operate this mechanism without using the hands, and thusallow the user to wash the hands with the stream of running waterdelivered through the faucet, we have shown a lever-arm 6, to which thelower end of the rod is connected. This lever arm may 6X- tend throughthe wall 7, which will be at the front of the washstand position, and itis pivoted to a bracket or fixture, as shown at 8, which is convenientlylocated beneath the washstand. From this arm 6 a downwardly andforwardly extending portion 6 leads to a point conveniently located infront of the washstand. This arm may be sufficiently below the floor atthis point to be out of the way, and the floor may be slotted orotherwise perforated to allow the arm to move freely. At the outer endof this arm 6 is an upwardly extending stem, having upon the upper end aplate or pedal 10, which is sufficiently above the floor level so that aperson approaching to use the washstand can place the foot upon thepedal 10, depressing it and tilting the lever 6 about the fulcrum 8 sothat through the rod 5 the ring 4 will be forced up and compress thefaucet controlling arms 3 so as to open the faucet. Water will thus flowas long as the foot re mains upon the pedal 10, and when the user leavesthe apparatus will return to its normal position, either by gravitation,if the arm 6 is sufficiently weighted, or by the aid of a spring.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination with a faucet and the controlling arms thereof, of afulcrumed foot lever and pedal, a rod connected with the opposite end ofthe lever from the pedal, and means carried by the said rod to engagethe arms and open the faucet.

2. The combination with a cook or valve having compression actuatinglevers, of a ring through which said levers pass, a fulcrumed foot leverhaving a pedal at the outer end, and a link connecting the inner end ofvsaid lever with the ring.

3. The combination with a washing or drinking water-supply, of acompression faucet having convexly curved lever arms, a ring having asmaller interior diameter than the distance between said arms when the:l'aucet is closed, and a foot-lever and connecting link by which saidring is moved to compress the levers and open the faucet.

The combination With a normally closed faucet, of a drinking orWashwvater supply, said faucet having actuating levers, of a leverhaving a foot pedal adjacent to the Water discharge pipe, connectionsbetween the end of the last named lever and the faucet actuating levers,whereby the said actuating levers are operated by the depression of thefoot pedal, said connections including a ring movably mounted on andadapted to compress said actuating levers, said foot pedal lever andactuating levers adapted to return to their normal positions.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

FRED A. BRIGHT. WILLIAM F. BRIGHT. Witnesses HARRIET Rossr, GEO. F.STANLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

